Just a little background. My girlfriend is about to have her tubes tied. She’s 38 and already has one kid. I’m trying to be really supportive, but I’m still a little confused (enotionally) about the whole thing.
Do any dopers out there have any experience with life after the big lady snip?
It’s just fine. I had it done after my second child was born and you won’t notice any changes. Snipping the tubes doesn’t affect the hormonal situation.
Yes. No problems, piece of cake.
They mostly do it now through what’s called a laparascope, which means just a couple little incisions that hardly leave a scar. Minimal hospital stay, minimal risk of complications, minimal post-op discomfort. Minimal risk of future pregnancy; otherwise you would not know it happened.
One caution: like every other birth control method short of hysterectomy, it is not guaranteed 100%. Close, but not 100%. I personally know 2 different women who had a child after a tubal.
Same as they say above. She’ll be tired that day from the anaesthesia, and will have stitches at the top of the public hair line and in the navel, so she might not feel too comfortable for a little while, but she’ll be fine very soon. It has no effect on sex, etc.
I had Tubal Ligation with Hulka Clips done after my second child.
Minor laparascopic procedure. The biggest deal for me was the anaesthesia which made me puke in the car on the way home. I was fine after a good nights sleep and had no pain or scarring whatsoever.
It was fine. No muss/no fuss. It was a few hours in day surgery, followed by a long nap at home. I wasn’t even sore the next day. And if I remember right, they stapled using those special “dissolving” staples, so I didn’t even have to go back.(forgive me, I am DEFINITELY not hip to correct medical terminology).
More severe cramps on occasional months for about 5-7 years afterward, but no major side effects that I noticed.
I had mine done while I was still in the hospital from having my second baby. I only have one tiny scar in my bellybutton. I didn’t have any emotional upheaval at the time, but then again I was a bit distracted by the fact my baby got sent to the NICU for a heart problem.
As previously mentioned, the surgery doesn’t affect hormones in any way, so no worries on that front.
Are you confused about your reaction to her not wanting another child? Possibly yours in the future? That is something you need to talk with her about. When you do, try to understand that those of us who do this really, REALLY thought about it for a long time before acting. And sometimes had to jump through medical and social hoops to get it done. We love you, but we are not having more children.
I apologize if I read the OP wrong. All the responses involved HER emotions and HER physical state. I felt you were asking something else.
Mine was kind of a nightmare. The lab screwed up the pre-op testing and told me I was in acute renal failure. They sent me home with some stuff to clear out my system so they could run more tests. Turned out to be some other person who needed the attention.
Anyhoo, everything went well. I had pain in my shoulders afterward. Something about air being absorbed into the body (they puff you up so they can see what they’re doing inside). They gave me pain pills which were fine. I was back in the saddle in 2 days.
The strangest thing was that it took me YEARS and YEARS to not worry whether or not I was going to get my period each month. My mind just couldn’t grasp the fact that it was no longer an option.
Kalhoun, me too. I still wonder if I’m pregnant if my cycle is off. And my cycle has never been regular so I wonder often! I’m glad to know I’m not the only one.
Not wanting to make you and Kalhoun paranoid, but as I said above and I am sure your doctor told you (being ethical), there is not a 100% guarantee. One of my friends, having had a tubal, got into her 4th month of gestation with her 3rd child before she realized that she had a whole bunch of symptoms (weight gain, tiredness) that she’d only had before when pregnant. She had simply gotten used to not even thinking about menstruating. The family coped with the surprise addition just fine, but it was quite a shock.
I never knew there were so many of you out there. Thank everyone for the responses. I have talked it over with the GF - and it’s not something that’s that is being done on a whim, she’s been thinking about this for a LONG time. I haven’t had nearly as long and it’s taking me a while to adjust. I think what I’m feeling is pride more than anything, because a woman can’t make a much bigger or harder decision (I’m willing to corrected here).
Good to hear the sex is going to as good as ever 
MLS, the doctor did say there was a small, nearly insignificant chance that I could conceive again, but it’s not NEARLY enough to make a person wonder each month. I was just so used to wondering that it took a long time to re-train my brain. Anyone who has their tubes tied shouldn’t have to think about it at all.
Tapioca, the sex will probably be better, because the inhibition of conceiving is gone. You’ll be swingin’ from the chandelier! 